decorating the bus
by no cure for crazy
Summary: After the events in San Juan, the team is in need of their spirits being uplifted. AU-ish


AN: Based on a tumblr prompt from Fixthistogether "_prompt 1: the team gets into the holiday spirit by decorating the BUS." _I'd meant to finish this in time to get it uploaded before Christmas but things happened and I got busy, but I finally finished it.

Spoilers if you haven't seen _What They Become._

Disclaimer: I don't own Agents of Shield

* * *

Decorating the Bus

"Are we seriously doing this now?" Skye questioned as she followed him down the hallway.

"Considering what's happened," Trip called over his shoulder. "We all need some Holiday cheer. Besides since neither of us can sleep, we may as well be productive."

Trip did have a point. The only reason she found herself outside his room, knocking on his door was because she couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she was back in that room, trapped underneath the stone prison.

She couldn't get these images out of her head. Trip trapped in his own stone prison, deteriorating right before her eyes. Once she was free, she somehow managed to close the distance to where Trip once stood and fell to her knees. The tears pooling at the edges of her eyes began to fall as she clawed at the ash that was once Trip.

"Don't go crying on me now," a familiar voice said, causing Skye to whirl around. She couldn't believe it but Trip was standing in front of her. He was completely fine and she couldn't understand why.

A hand squeezed her shoulder, pulling her back to the present. "Hey, it's okay."

"I just can't shake everything that's happened," Skye admitted. "How it's possible that you're still here….what happened to us in there…"

Raina was still out there somewhere, along with Ward and her father. She didn't know what the Obelisk had done to Raina, let along her and Trip. She would be lying if she said she wasn't afraid of what was to come. She knew what Hydra was capable of, what her father was capable of, Ward and who knew what Raina would be capable of with these _changes_.

Trip placed his other hand on her other shoulder. "Simmons has been studying the Obelisk for the past day, Coulson and May are doing their thing – we'll figure this out all in due time. Tonight though, let's just take a breather and relax. Take a moment for ourselves. Forget our problems for a few hours."

Skye sighed. She knew that they would eventually figure this out – that they would get through this. They've gotten through worse. But that would be something they'd deal with tomorrow –tonight she wouldn't about it. They wouldn't worry about their problems. Tonight it would be just them.

Skye forced a smile. "Alright, so where do we start?"

"I have something up my sleeve," Trip said, disappearing down the hallway. A few minutes later, Trip was returning with a box in his hands.

Skye inclined her head. "What's all that?"

"The something up my sleeve," Trip responded. He walked further into the room and sat the box on the table. He opened the box to reveal a lot of Christmas decorations. "You ready to decorate?" he asked as he reached into the box.

Skye let out a small laugh. Despite everything, she still felt comfortable around Trip. She felt like everything would be okay. She felt like she could breathe again. The smile spread across her face next was the most genuine smile she's had for a while.

"I think we're missing something though," Skye said. She held up a finger before wandering back to her room, only to return in a few minutes with her phone. She pushed a few buttons and _Have Yourself a Merry little Christmas _began to play softly throughout the room.

"Christmas music," Trip said, smiling. "Of course, I knew I was forgetting something."

"The luxuries of _Pandora_," she responded with a grin.

Trip handed her some garland from the box which she took from his outstretched hand. "Let's get this place into the Holiday cheer."

They hung streamers, snowflakes from the ceiling, garland and tinsel. Snowman and snowflakes were taped to the glass and the windows. Trip and Skye set out to make the BUS more festive while Christmas music played in the background.

* * *

Skye's eyes blinked a few times, adjusting to the light before fully opening. The first thing she registered was that there was no Christmas music and there was a blanket drawn over her. She figured May or someone may have been in the BUS sometime between when she'd fallen asleep and now.

Paper snowflakes hung from the ceiling. Garland and tinsel were wrapped around the bar, a wreath hung on the opposite wall. Snowmen were tapped to the class and the windows, along with snowflakes. There was also tinsel scattered on the furniture and the floor – evidence that a tinsel fight had occurred.

She and Trip had spent last night decorating the BUS. It was a nice distraction from the real problems that they would have to face and deal with eventually.

She turned her head and buried her face against his chest and felt an arm tighten around her waist.

"Merry Christmas, Skye."

Skye chuckled. "Merry Christmas, even if it's not technically Christmas yet."

"Details, details," Trip responded. He glanced around at the aftermath of their decorating party. "Looks like we did a pretty good job last night."

"That we did," Skye agreed. "It seems like a shame that we have to face reality again soon and figure out what happened."

"Let's figure it out after breakfast at least," Trip suggested. "I do make a mean omelet."

Skye smiled. "Deal."


End file.
